


i'll see you in my dreams (but i'd rather see you in person)

by yueninja



Series: Time Travel AU [3]
Category: EXO (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Time Travel, a mess as always
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-01-03 23:31:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12157017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yueninja/pseuds/yueninja
Summary: Taehyung dreams of a soft voice and his missing bracelet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd so there will almost definitely be mistakes I couldn't catch. This is the second part of a series, but you don't need to read it to understand this, although certain parts may be a little more confusing. Read at your own risk (◠‿◠✿)

It’s pitch black again. What used to be a rising sense of terror is now replaced with anticipation as Taehyung waits for the familiar voice to ring in his head.

_Hello? V hyung?_

If he wasn’t dreaming, he’d probably be fist pumping right now. Who is he kidding? He’s probably fist pumping in his sleep.

“Hey,” Taehyung says as he waits for the rest of his body to appear. “What’s up?”

 _Nothing much. I just finished memorizing my lines._

Taehyung watches his torso appear at the same time the tips of his fingers finish forming.

“Wow, you’re ahead of things. Don’t you have another month before the wedding takes place?”

_Yes, but I don’t want to mess this up._

“I’m sure you’ll do fine, Jungkook.” Taehyung hears a sarcastic laugh come from Jungkook and wonders what the boy looks like. They’ve had months of communication and even though Taehyung’s pretty sure the guy isn’t real, after all, he is _dreaming_ , his imagination can’t conjure anything up. All he knows is that he probably dresses like one of the guys from Namjoon’s sageuks, if the dated way he talks is any indicator.

 _I hope so. This marriage is a really big deal._ He sounds worried, so Taehyung tries to joke around.

“As long as you’re functioning down there, no one should have any problem with you, Kookie.”

 _I don’t know why you keep calling me that._ There’s a pause. _And what do you mean down there?_

Taehyung snickers and wiggles his knee. The bottom half of his leg is still forming. “Like, having kids. You can do that right?”

Jungkook doesn’t answer for a minute and Taehyung’s afraid that he’s left. “I’m kidding. I’m sure all your parts are working properly.”

_You’re very brusque._

Taehyung twists his bracelet around as he answers. “If you think I’m brusque you should meet Yoongi hyung.”

_Is that the sleepy one?_

“Yeah, I’m surprised you remembered,” Taehyung says.

 _You talk about them a lot. It’s not that hard to remember, although you do have a lot of hyungs._ There’s a hint of longing behind those words.

“Well, you have this hyung right here,” Taehyung says as his toes finally appear. “You can tell me anything. I won’t tell anyone. Mainly because no one would believe anything about this situation, but still.”

“Then…” Jungkook’s voice finally stops echoing in his head and instead reverberates from in front of him as Taehyung sits down in the empty space. There’s no lighting, but he can see himself perfectly fine. Jungkook’s voice seems to be right in front of him, so Taehyung faces it and waits for him to finish. “I have a test in a week. It’s pretty important.”

“Oh wow, I know how that feels,” Taehyung starts before Jungkook interrupts him.

“No, this isn’t anything to worry about. I was already guaranteed a position. Taking the test is just a formality.”

“Way to show me up,” Taehyung grumbles as he begins playing with the strands of his hair.

“Are you sitting down?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung says as he cranes his neck up to follow Jungkook’s voice. Knowing he can’t be seen, Taehyung blindly swipes the air in front of him trying to see if he can hit anything solid. Of course, he doesn’t. 

“Okay.” His voice comes down so that it sounds like they’re sitting face to face. “But about the test.” Jungkook hesitates to finish his sentence and Taehyung gives him an encouraging smile before remembering that they can’t see each other.

“Don’t worry, hyung is here to listen.” He can imagine Kyungsoo giving him a poker face of disapproval while Jimin guffaws at the cheesy line. “Stop judging me.”

“Uh-what?”

“Nothing. Continue.” Taehyung gestures with his hands before smacking himself on the head in one fluid motion as he remembers that they _can’t see each other_ , goddammit. There’s some rustling and Taehyung imagines that Jungkook is adjusting his robes to sit more comfortably.

“I’ve been having a problem with assassins.” Taehyung is ready to throw out a “everything’s going to be okay,” but chokes on his words.

“What?”

“That’s why I’m worried about the test, there’s a lot less security for one part of it. Everyone has to go to an individual room and the guards are spread more thinly over the courtyard.” He talks about it like one would talk about a fly that won’t leave them alone.

“Well…” Taehyung chews on the inside of his cheek as he thinks. “Aren’t you inside the palace though?”

“Yeah, but there’s some festival happening the week after and everyone’s busy preparing for it.”

“Why did they plan everything so close together then?” Taehyung asks as he fiddles with his bracelet. The smiley face charm grins up at him and he flashes a grin back.

“It’s an annual thing and they happened to fall on the same week this year.” There’s more rustling in front of him as Jungkook probably shifts in his sitting position.

“You have pretty bad luck then.” Taehyung says as he flips the smiley face bead so that it shows the angry face on the back. He glares back.

“Maybe I do,” Jungkook says quietly and this time Taehyung can hear a slight tremor in his voice.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Taehyung says as he gives another encouraging smile to the bracelet, imagining that Jungkook can see it. “You said you were good at everything. If you really need to, just stick them with a sharp object.”

“Are you telling me to kill someone?” Jungkook says in surprise and Taehyung’s getting really pissed that he can’t experience his invisible friend’s full range of emotions. Or his face, really.

“Yes. You come first. Then everyone else.” Taehyung stretches his legs out in front of him and raps his knuckles on the nonexistent floor. He’s long since given up on figuring out how this black hole works. “I’m kidding, don’t kill anyone…unless you really need to. Then you have full approval from this hyung.”

Jungkook doesn’t answer, but Taehyung can still hear Jungkook’s nearly silent breathing as they sit there.

“Okay, I’ll do that,” Jungkook finally says, but Taehyung can still hear the tremor in his voice.

“You know what?”

“What?”

“You need a good luck charm.”

“A charm? Like a talisman?” The interest in Jungkook’s voice peaks and Taehyung mentally pats himself on the back for his great idea.

“Yeah, it’s pretty special. One of a kind.” The bead turns back up to a smiley face. “It’s also extremely well made.” He tugs at the ends of the fraying leather and quickly tries to shine the metal band. “Like highest quality stuff. I use it all the time when I need to take a test or when only Namjoon hyung is available for lunch and we have to cook.” He unties the bracelet from his hand and gives the hamburger charm a kiss.

“What is it?” Taehyung can actually hear Jungkook sliding himself across the empty space so that he can hear the clothes rustling on top of his own crossed legs.

“Wow, you’re really close.” He hears a yelp and then something thudding a foot or so back and lets out a surprised laugh. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine,” Jungkook says quietly, his voice isn’t as close anymore, and Taehyung can tell he’s probably blushing. Now if only he could actually see that…

“Okay, the talisman was made by a skilled…” What was the word? “Shaman…ess.” The little star charm on his bracelet winks up at him with the help of some unseen light source.

“Really? You still have shamans over there?” 

Taehyung snaps his fingers and points his finger guns at the air in front of him. “Yes, we do. And I think you could really use this.” Taehyung dangles the bracelet up and makes sure the metal clinks together to make some noise. “It’s a bracelet infused by the love of everyone around me.” Kyungsoo is glaring at him in his mind’s eye. “Everyone.”

“Thank you,” Jungkook says with wonder in his voice, and Taehyung would almost feel bad for tricking him, but Jungkook has seemed pretty high strung the past two weeks. “But,” Jungkook’s voice interrupts Taehyung’s train of thoughts. “How will you get it to me?”

“Well, this doesn’t need to be physically there to work. You just need to believe in it.” God, he’s really pulling things out of his ass now. “It’s the thought that counts. Just… close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

He hears Jungkook draw a breath.

“Okay, now, imagine a-” Taehyung holds the bracelet closer to his face to inspect it. “A leather bracelet with a thin strip of metal in the middle. Next to either side of the metal are beads-charms. You got that?”

“Yes.” He sounds so sincere Taehyung is really starting to feel like an asshole, but he’s doing it to make him feel better, so he continues.

“Okay, there are beads on either side. It has a-”

“What is that?” Jungkook says in surprise and Taehyung pauses to look up. There’s still nothing in front of him.

“What’s what?”

“It’s quite colorful. There’s lettuce in it, but I can’t recognize anything else. Is that a crack?”

“Are you…” Taehyung looks back down at his bracelet. “Are you talking about the hamburger?”

“Is that what it’s called?” Jungkook says and this time Taehyung hears something metallic clinking, but it’s not coming from his bracelet. He looks down to check again, but it’s gone.

“Um, yeah.” Taehyung stands up and pats himself down. Hops a few times. Does a few jumping jacks. Nothing falls out of the folds of his clothes.

“What’s this one?” Jungkook says and Taehyung hears the jangling of metal again. 

“W-What does it look like?” Taehyung says as he sits back down slowly. Well, anything can happen in a dream. Plus, it's his subconscious.

“It looks like a fox.”

“Um, that's probably Eevee. It's a Pokémon character.”

“What's a Pokémon?”

“It's…” Taehyung scrunched his forehead together. How do you explain Pokémon to someone who doesn't even know what a hamburger is? “They're a species of animals,” Taehyung says, his voice ending in a question mark. “And an Eevee is one of the animals in the Pokémon species.”

“I've never heard of a Pokémon. I'll have to ask my tutor about it.” 

“Oh, they haven't been… discovered yet. It takes hundreds of years until we discover them.”

“Wow,” Jungkook says quietly in wonder and Taehyung can’t help but grin at his amazement.

“Well, you have my lucky charm now. Keep it safe.” Taehyung stretches his arms out.

“Will I wake up with it?”

Taehyung lays down and looks up at the nothingness. “I don’t know. Maybe? What matters is you got to touch it. It already soaked with so much good luck from me that just being in the presence of it is making you lucky.”

“Okay,” Jungkook says with a small hint of wariness this time, although it also sounds like he’s smiling. 

“You’ll be fine, Jungkook. Trust me.”

“Okay,” Jungkook repeats, but there’s much more warmth behind the words this time.

“Now that we’ve filled our daily discussion quota on assassins let’s move onto fiancees,” Taehyung says trying to lighten the mood as he hears Jungkook shake the bracelet again.

“What do you want to know?”

“Is she pretty?” Jungkook gives a derisive snort and Taehyung raises his brows to hear it. “What? Is that not a question I should ask?”

“I haven’t even been within a mountain’s width of her. How would I know what she looks like?”

“Well, what have you heard?”

Jungkook is quiet for a moment, and Taehyung is curious about what he looks like when he’s thinking. It’s always interesting to observe someone when they’re concentrating. Yoongi looks like he’s sleeping. Kyungsoo looks like he’s in a trance. Jimin bounces up and down until his energy exhausts even Taehyung himself.

“She’s rumored to be beautiful.”

“Smart?” Taehyung asks.

“I’m not sure. Some people say she acts stupid to deceive others, but others say that she’s always been unintelligent.” Jungkook sighs audibly.

“Well, for your sake, I hope she can hold a conversation,” Taehyung says as he squints up at the blackness.

“I do too,” Jungkook says quietly. “She’s one of the youngest in her family, and I’ve heard she’s pretty spoiled.”

“Well, are you spoiled?” Taehyung asks. Taehyung knows Jungkook is soft-spoken and pretty respectful, but he’s curious as to what the boy thinks of himself.

“I hope not, but that’s ultimately up to my father and mother,” Jungkook says.

“But what do you think?”

“I don’t know,” Jungkook answers back immediately, like he doesn’t want to talk about it.

“What about me? Do I seem like a spoiled brat?” Taehyung has no idea when he’s going to wake up, but until he does he’ll get as much out of a conversation with Jungkook as he can.

“No,” Jungkook says just as quickly as before, but this time he sounds surer of himself. “You seem responsible, despite your… faults.”

“What faults? What are you talking about? I’m perfect,” Taehyung says in an offended tone. 

“If you say so,” Jungkook says, and Taehyung can tell he’s smiling, maybe even smirking.

“We’ve only known each other for two months and you’re already sassing me?” Taehyung is grinning though.

“I’m not sassing you. I’m just telling you my opinion.”

“What are my faults? I dare you to name ten.”

Jungkook is quiet again, probably thinking as Taehyung quickly tries to count his flaws on his fingers.

“Well,” Jungkook begins. Shit, Taehyung’s already run out of fingers. “There’s your eating habits. Eating the same thing every day isn’t good for you. And from what you say, your food of choice - what was it? ramyun? - isn’t something you would ideally eat every day.”

“Hey, that’s a lifestyle choice,” Taehyung protests.

“Well, you can easily remedy that problem then,” Jungkook says back, and Taehyung glares at the empty space in front of him.

“Don’t tell me how to live.”

“I’m not. I’m just giving you ideas to improve.”

“You sound like a brat now,” Taehyung says, grumbling “improve” under his breath.

“Oh,” Jungkook says in a much quieter voice, and Taehyung immediately knows he’s said something wrong.

“No, that’s not what I mea-” Suddenly the black space seems to shrink in on itself, racing towards Taehyung, and then he’s enveloped in darkness.

~

“Goddammit!” Taehyung shouts as he sits up in bed. He was in the middle of a sentence, and now Jungkook’s probably mad or sad or insecure again because of him. He slumps forward so that his knees are keeping his head up and groans.

There’s a knock on his door and Kyungsoo’s head peeks in. “Are you okay?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” Taehyung says, lifting his head up so fast he thinks he cracked his neck. “I just had a bad dream.” Taehyung flashes Kyungsoo a goofy smile, when the worried look doesn’t go away.

“You’ve been getting a lot of those lately. Is something up?” 

“No, it’s just school. Stress.” Kyungsoo nods, looking unconvinced, and closes the door.

Taehyung lets his head fall again and lets out another groan. He ruffles his hair frustratedly before getting up to get changed.

When he walks out to the kitchen, he sees Kyungsoo sitting at the kitchen table chewing on his noodles resolutely as he flips through his textbook and marks down a few notes. He looks up as Taehyung enters and keeps his expression blank as he directs his wide eyes to him.

“Morning, hyung,” Taehyung says cheerfully as he grabs a bowl and a spoon. 

“Morning.” Kyungsoo swallows his noodles. “We’re out of cocoa puffs.”

Taehyung pulls the milk out of the fridge with a frown. “We are?”

“Yeah, Chanyeol ate all of them last night.” Kyungsoo slurps up another mouthful of noodles as he turns back to his textbook.

“Wait, what?” Taehyung says in a distressed voice as he flings open the pantry door dramatically. There’s an empty space where his cocoa puffs used to be. “Wh-Why?”

Chanyeol walks in just then looking like crap but immediately brightens when he sees Taehyung and Kyungsoo. “Hi, I ate your cocoa puffs last night.”

“But-but what am I supposed to have for breakfast?” Taehyung asks still distressed as he looks up and down the pantry. “Where am I supposed to get my chocolaty goodness from?”

“ _Real_ chocolate,” Kyungsoo says without looking up as he jots down a few more notes.

“Don’t worry,” Chanyeol says with a grin, before running back to his room. Taehyung watches him go and looks back at Kyungsoo, who’s hurriedly flipping through a few more pages.

“Do you have a test, hyung?” 

Kyungsoo looks up at him as he runs a hand unnecessarily through his short hair. “Yeah,” he sighs. “I shouldn’t have taken night classes. I keep putting off everything until the day of.”

“And somehow you still earn high grades,” Taehyung says, looking over Kyungsoo’s shoulder to see business terms. “What about your job?”

“I quit.”

“What?” Taehyung asks in shock just as Chanyeol runs in with an enormous box of cocoa puffs.

“I went out to get another box right after I finished them,” Chanyeol says, handing Taehyung the box.

“Thanks,” he says in surprise. Taehyung shakes the box and is pleased to hear the sound of cereal rattling around. “But, hyung, did you know Soo hyung quit his job?”

Chanyeol’s eyes widen. “What? When?”

“A week ago,” Kyungsoo answers, nonplussed by their disbelief. “It was getting to be too much.”

“Um,” Chanyeol says, looking at Kyungsoo with concern. Taehyung has long since forgotten about the cocoa puffs as they both watch Kyungsoo flip through his textbook silently. “Okay, well, if you need to talk about anything, let us know.” Chanyeol nudges Taehyung with his elbow. “We’re going to go do the laundry.”

Kyungsoo just nods and slurps up another mouthful of noodles quietly.

Taehyung and Chanyeol exchange worried glances before they both go to their rooms and gather up their dirty laundry. Luckily for the two of them, Kyungsoo is much more organized than them and his laundry is already in his bin.

The second the door closes behind them, Chanyeol and Taehyung both begin talking.

“What do we do?”

“Should we talk to him?”

“Yes,” Taehyung says at the same time Chanyeol answers, “I don’t know.”

“I’ve been worried about him ever since he brought that guy home,” Chanyeol says and they both think back to the memory with grimaces.

“I saw the guy at the store the other day and I’m pretty sure he was a dad. He looked like a dad.”

“Oh my god, we’re never letting Kyungsoo go out drinking again.”

As they lug the laundry downstairs, Taehyung shakes his head. “But Soo hyung snuck out of the apartment without telling us. I don’t know how we’d stop him if he tried that again.” Taehyung pauses, almost knocking Chanyeol over as he stops, and narrows his eyes, thinking. "He’s never tried to hook up with someone before. Do you think he even knows how to have sex?”

This time, Chanyeol audibly says, “Ew.” And then, “He’s definitely had sex before.”

“Who’s had sex before?” someone says right into Chanyeol’s ear, and Taehyung laughs when the older jumps a little.

“We’re talking about whether Kyungsoo has had sex before,” Taehyung says to Jimin. He’s carrying his own load of laundry with Seokjin close behind.

“Oh,” Jimin cocks his head to the side as he thinks. “Probably.”

“Jimin, you forgot this,” Seokjin says as he hands Jimin another bag of clothes. 

“Okay,” Jimin says as he looks at the bag in mild disgust. “Why does it smell like that?”

“Don’t ask questions. Just do the laundry,” Seokjin says with a fake smile, before walking back to their room.

“It’s probably cum,” Jimin says as he shifts the other bag onto his back. “It’s totally cum, oh my god.”

Chanyeol gently pushes Taehyung forward so they don’t cause a traffic jam in the stairway, and the three of them begin walking downstairs.

“Just don’t touch any of the clothes, then,” Chanyeol says with an amused smile on his face as Jimin and Taehyung both make faces at each other for no reason at all.

“Wait, why do you think Kyungsoo’s had sex?” Taehyung asks as they slowly make their way down.

“Well-” Jimin looks at them sheepishly and Chanyeol and Taehyung’s interest is immediately peaked.

“Why?” Chanyeol asks with wide eyes.

“The other night, he was with some guy, making out in the hallway for a good ten minutes.” Jimin laughs awkwardly when Chanyeol and Taehyung don’t answer, staring at him in horror.

“That wasn’t last Friday, was it?” Taehyung asks as they finally get to the first floor.

“No, that was two nights ago,” Jimin says. Chanyeol facepalms with his free hand and Taehyung sighs, letting his chin drop to his chest.

“What’s wrong?” Jimin asks, looking between the two of them confusedly.

“That’s twice in one week. And on a weekday,” Chanyeol says. 

As they walk across the street, Taehyung looks down at their bags of clothes, wrinkling his nose. “There’s definitely cum on these.”

“Kyungsoo hyung’s been out twice in a week?” Jimin asks, surprised, as they approach the laundromats. “Why?”

“That’s what we’d like to know,” Chanyeol grumbles, holding open the door for them.

“Maybe he’s finally decided to let loose,” Jimin says as they make their way to the back. It’s Friday morning, so there aren’t too many people here.

“Then why would he be sneaking away to hook up with people?” The three of them begin throwing clothes into the machines. “He knew that me and Taehyung were going to be out on Wednesday so he brought someone home.”

“Maybe he’s embarrassed,” Jimin says as he tosses the pellets into the machine. “You guys are always out partying and whatnot, maybe he felt pressured or something.”

“We aren’t always out partying,” Chanyeol says in a scandalized voice.

“Um, sometimes we are, hyung,” Taehyung says as they finish starting up the machines.

“No,” Chanyeol says weakly as Jimin and Taehyung both nod at him.

“Yeah,” Taehyung says, slinging an arm around Jimin’s shoulders. “We all do.”

“Okay, but what about Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol asks, moving past the subject. “Should we invite him out tomorrow?”

“Why not tonight?” Taehyung asks. “It’s Friday.”

“I offered to go in tonight to meet a producer. Namjoon and Yoongi are going to be there too.”

“Oh, I’ll be all alone then,” Taehyung says in a pitiful voice and Chanyeol frowns at him.

“No, you have Kyungsoo and anime.” He looks at Jimin. “And Jimin.”

“No,” Taehyung says shaking his head and pouting. “Kyungsoo hyung is going to hole himself up in his room. Jimin has a dance practice until ten.”

Jimin gives an apologetic squeeze on Taehyung’s waist where his arm is wrapped around. 

“I’m all alone,” Taehyung says again, voice rising with a whine tacked on at the end.

“I’ll be back around eleven,” Chanyeol says, patting Taehyung on the head. “Watch your anime until then.”

“Or you could go out by yourself,” Jimin suggests, and Taehyung glares at him.

“And do what? Go to the movies and watch everyone hang out with their friends? Go out for dinner? That’s so depressing.” Jimin and Chanyeol both stare at Taehyung as he stops talking and thinks for a good minute. “I’ll just go to sleep.”

“Ha, good idea,” Jimin says in what’s supposed to be a mocking tone, but Taehyung can hear the envy behind it.

Taehyung just grins and unwraps himself from around Jimin. “I have a question.”

Chanyeol nods for him to go ahead and Jimin narrows his eyes, ready for something ridiculous.

“How would you describe Pokémon to someone who has no access to anything remotely electronic?”

Chanyeol twists his mouth into a frown that tells Taehyung he’s taking his question seriously, but Jimin gives Taehyung a long look and shakes his head at him.

“I would describe them as little magical animals that only exist in certain worlds that don’t include this one,” Chanyeol finally says, and this time Jimin and Taehyung are the ones staring.

“Is that it?” Taehyung asks, finally responding.

“I mean, it’s accurate enough,” Jimin says and Chanyeol grins, holding his fist up for a fist bump which Jimin returns enthusiastically.

“That wasn’t helpful,” Taehyung says as turns back to the washing machines to think about his own question. As he ponders over the answer, Taehyung reaches for the bracelet on his wrist. 

“Um, Taehyung,” Jimin says with a hint of confusion. “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” Taehyung asks as he looks down at himself. There isn’t anything out of the ordinary.

“You were just-” Chanyeol grabs his own bony wrist and scrambling up and down with his fingers.

Taehyung frowns and looks down at his hand. “I was just playing with my bracelet…” It’s not there. “Where’s my bracelet?”

“Maybe check your other hand,” Jimin says even though it’s very obvious that it isn’t there either with his short sleeved t-shirt.

“I need it,” Taehyung says in a panic as he drops down to look underneath the washing machines. “I have a test next week and I need that bracelet.”

“Don’t be so superstitious,” Chanyeol says with a laugh, but Taehyung isn’t listening to him as he begins tracing his steps right out the door. “Taehyung?” Chanyeol calls out just as Jimin runs to catch up with him. “Where are you guys going? What about the laundry?”

“Call Jin hyung. I’m sure he’s just at home watching some home cooking show anyway,” Jimin calls back before shutting the door to the laundromat.

Taehyung hears Chanyeol yell out another “What?” earning some glares from the few people that are there in the morning.

“Jimin, shouldn’t you watch over your laundry?” Taehyung asks as he stoops down and begins crawling along the sidewalk, tracing his steps. He resembles a dog that’s sniffing a trail out and Jimin looks around nervously.

“Dude, get up,” he says, nudging Taehyung’s foot with his own. “I’m sure your bracelet is at home somewhere.”

“It can’t be. I didn’t take it off at home.” Taehyung is still crawling and people are starting to stare. 

“Tae, get up,” Jimin hisses, taking another glance back at the laundromat.

“I remember I had it before I went to sleep. Maybe it’s on the stairs?”

“Taehyung,” Jimin says in a scary voice, and Taehyung finally looks up. “You are not crawling across traffic,” he says, pointing at the busy street in front of them.

“Where’s my bracelet?” Taehyung asks and Jimin pulls him up by the collar.

“We’ll find it later. Why are you so anal about it?”

“Because it’s good luck,” Taehyung says with a “duh”. 

“You got it at some random gas station a few years ago,” Jimin says with a dead look on his face. “We can get it somewhere else.”

“Not the beads,” Taehyung says as he tries to think about where he last saw it. Unfortunately, all he can remember is his dream.

“I’m sure you can find them online.”

“No,” Taehyung says with a shake of his head. “That Eevee was made by Namjoon with a lot of help from Jin hyung. Actually, it was pretty much just Jin.”

“Well, the other charms seemed pretty common.”

“But that crack in my hamburger is special. One of a kind,” Taehyung says as they stand next to the stoplight.

“We can crack it for you again and glue it back together,” Jimin says exasperatedly. “Tae, we should do this later. Not when we’re in the middle of a load. You know we pretty much just abandoned Chanyeol hyung, right?”

Taehyung looks up to the laundromat, and sure enough, Chanyeol is staring back at them with hurt puppy eyes, probably unaware he’s even making them.

“I can handle myself. You should go back,” Taehyung says as he turns back to face the street. “I just need to find it and then I’ll be okay.”

“What do you mean ‘okay’?” Jimin asks pulling Taehyung around and grabbing him by the shoulders, worriedly. “Dude, just find it after we’re done with the laundry.”

“The laundry still has over half an hour to go,” Taehyung says throwing an arm up in the general direction of the laundromat. The movement makes Jimin’s grip on him even tighter.

“Yeah, well last time you got hit by a car when you lost your bracelet, and I’m not too keen on another visit to the hospital.”

“I won’t get hit,” Taehyung says adamantly, but Jimin is already tugging Taehyung back to the small building. Jimin isn’t too much stronger than him, but he’s determined as he pulls Taehyung back. Unfortunately, Taehyung’s determination isn’t even a rival to Jimin’s as he twists suddenly and goes running across the now green crosswalk.

“Tae!” Jimin shouts after him, but he’s already over halfway across the street.

Without checking to see if Jimin is behind him, Taehyung ducks back down to look for it. He _needs_ that bracelet.

As he looks around on the ground, a bright flash of pink catches his eye. He looks up to see a single cherry blossom petal fall in front of him. Taehyung looks up, unaware that there were any cherry blossom trees in the neighborhood, but he doesn’t see any pink trees around. 

Still concentrated, Taehyung looks back down and continues to make his way home, little by little. As he continues alternating between walking and crawling, he’s surprised to find another petal float down right onto the back of his hand.

Plucking it off carefully, Taehyung studies the petal and looks around to find its source. Did someone walk by with a bouquet of flowers? All he sees are a few people giving him dirty looks. No flowers in sight.

Brushing it off his hand, Taehyung chides himself for being so distracted and goes back to looking for his bracelet. But as he makes his way back to his apartment, the blossoms follow him, floating down one by one at a slow but steady pace.

He finally walks through the door of their apartment to be greeted by a surprised Kyungsoo.

“Um, what is that?” Kyungsoo asks, gesturing to Taehyung’s body in general. Taehyung looks down to see a few more petals flutter down from his shoulders to the wood floor.

“I-I’m not sure,” Taehyung says as Kyungsoo gets up to help him brush the petals off of his clothes and out of his hair. “I lost my bracelet and I was looking for it, but these petals kept following me around.”

“You lost your bracelet?” Kyungsoo asks as he plucks the last few stray petals from his hair. 

“Yeah,” Taehyung says as he lets Kyungsoo circle him and get everything else off. “I don’t know when, but I couldn’t find it when I traced my steps back home.”

“Maybe it got mixed in with the clothes,” Kyungsoo says as he bends down to gather the petals up. Taehyung drops down to help him as he thinks about it.

“I hope not.”

“Are the beads not waterproof?” Kyungsoo asks as he goes to grab a bowl to gather them in.

“I think they are,” Taehyung says unsurely. “But I’d rather not find out.”

“It’s okay. I’m sure you’ll find it somewhere,” Kyungsoo says, gathering the petals and walking over to the trash can. 

“That didn’t convince me of anything,” Taehyung says as he picks up a few blossoms that Kyungsoo missed and walks towards him.

“Do you want me to give you my good luck charm?” Kyungsoo asks, giving Taehyung an unimpressed look.

“What is it?” Taehyung asks suspiciously.

“I don’t have one. I just depend on myself,” Kyungsoo says as he sits back down to go back to studying again.

“Thanks. Yeah,” Taehyung says as Kyungsoo opens up his textbook. “That’s a great idea. I should just be smart.”

“I’m not that smart. I just study a lot,” Kyungsoo says, tracing his finger along one of the pages as he looks for something.

“Well, I’m sorry. I’m not studious.” Taehyung goes to his room on his hands and knees again, looking for a glint of metal.

“You could _become_ studious,” Kyungsoo says from behind him as Taehyung slowly makes his way down the hall.

“Wow. You make it sound easy, hyung,” Taehyung says with a glare at the ground.

“It is, if you just tried,” Kyungsoo calls out from the kitchen table. Taehyung doesn’t respond as he grumbles under his breath before Kyungsoo speaks up again. “Wait, weren’t you going to do the laundry?”

“Uh, yeah,” Taehyung says as he tries to fit his head underneath the bed.

“Where is it then?” Kyungsoo asks. “And Chanyeol?” he adds as an afterthought.

“I-” Taehyung turns a little red when he realizes he left Jimin and Chanyeol behind. “Um, I’m going to go back in a minute. I just need to check my room really quick.”

“Okay,” Kyungsoo says in a quiet voice, and Taehyung can hear that odd ring that he and Chanyeol saw earlier in the morning.

“Are you okay?” Taehyung says as he backs out from under his bed. There isn’t anything there, save for a few cobwebs and that one sock he’d been missing since last winter.

Kyungsoo doesn’t respond, but Taehyung knows that he heard him.

“Hyung?” Taehyung says, brushing dust from the top of his head and walking back into the kitchen.

Kyungsoo is idly turning his pencil as he reads the words on a page of his textbook, he’s quiet as he keeps his head down.

“Um, is something wrong?” Taehyung asks as he approaches Kyungsoo slowly. Kyungsoo shakes his head without saying anything and continues to twirl his pen. Taehyung awkwardly scratches his head, unsure of the reason for Kyungsoo’s mood swing. “Well, I’m going to go back and help Yeol hyung. We’ll be back in about fifteen minutes.”

“Okay,” Kyungsoo says quietly. The pen is still twirling in his hand and Taehyung finds some comfort with the movement coming from Kyungsoo, proving that he’s still alive.

“Be right back,” Taehyung says as he walks to the door and takes another look at Kyungsoo who seems to be absorbed with something as he stares a little past his textbook. 

Right before he closes the door Kyungsoo speaks up, “We’re still scheduled for the shift tonight, right?”

“Hm?” Taehyung says, caught off guard. “Oh, yeah.” He gives Kyungsoo an easy smile and nods. “Looking forward to seeing that harabeoji again?”

“Yeah. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen him.” Kyungsoo’s odd demeanor disappears and he gives Taehyung a small smile. “Don’t leave Chanyeol alone. Who knows what he might do.”

“Haha, it’s okay. Jimin’s with him,” Taehyung says as he gives Kyungsoo a wave and shuts the door. He turns back for a second, trying to figure out what just happened, but shakes it off. He’ll figure it out with Chanyeol later.

He walks back leisurely, knowing the laundry won’t be done when he gets back as he looks up at the sky. A few steps later, he watches in surprise as a pink petal floats down right onto his nose.

“Wha-” Taehyung looks up to where it came from, but there’s only sky above him. He narrows his eyes suspiciously as he looks up onto the roofs above him. Maybe Jimin had paid someone to play a prank on him? It doesn’t make sense, but before Taehyung can think more about it another petal floats down and Taehyung jumps when he hears a whisper close to his ear. He looks around, but there’s no one next to him and he can only walk forward with more caution. 

By the time he gets to the laundromat, he’s accumulated another bunch of petals on his shoulders and head. He tried to brush them off but gave up halfway there. The petals wouldn’t stop falling and he was now sure that Jimin was playing a trick on him.

“Dude,” Taehyung says, huffing, as Jimin and Chanyeol look up from their game of rock, paper, scissors. “Is this you?”

“What the hell? Did someone whack you with a bouquet of flowers?” Jimin asks as Chanyeol walks over and begins picking them out of his hair with something like amazement.

“I like them.”

“Thanks,” Taehyung says letting Chanyeol take them out. “That makes me feel so much better.” He glares as Chanyeol stays completely oblivious to his sarcasm.

“We have another twenty minutes,” Jimin says as he pulls out his phone. “Are we going to stay here the entire time?”

“I kind of like the sound of the washing machines,” Chanyeol says as he holds up petal for closer inspection.

“So we’re staying?” Jimin asks, but Chanyeol doesn’t answer as he begins to diligently place the petals on the tips of his fingers. Why? Taehyung has no idea. “How did you get petals all over yourself anyway?”

“It rained petals on me the entire walk here. I thought you pranked me, but based on your reaction, I guess that didn’t happen.” Taehyung shakes his head and a few more fall out, floating slowly to the ground.

“Wow, that’s a good idea,” Jimin says as he pulls a few more petals out of his hair. “There are a lot though.”

“I know,” Taehyung says with a little laugh. “Maybe someone sent them my way.” He gives Jimin a grin and goes to hook his pinky underneath his bracelet when he remembers it’s not there.

“You wish.” Jimin ruffles Taehyung’s hair aggressively then makes a mad dash to the other side of the laundromat before Taehyung can retaliate.

Taehyung wrinkles his nose and turns to Chanyeol, who has somehow managed to get a small petal on each of his fingers, save for his thumb.

“Do you want me to get the last one for you?” Taehyung asks, but Chanyeol shakes his head as his eyes get bigger. 

“I need to do this myself,” Chanyeol declares in his deep, serious voice that makes Taehyung feel like they’re in a movie trailer.

“Yessir.” He turns back to Jimin but glares when he sees him hitting on a girl about their age. She seems to be enjoying his company, if the constant touching is any indicator. Chanyeol is still struggling to get the last petal. 

“Okay, then.”

~

Taehyung is glad he doesn’t have to stay home tonight, because Kyungsoo brightens at the prospect of seeing his favorite harabeoji, and Taehyung gets to chat up the halmoni's while earning money. They love him and he gets to learn how to crochet when he isn’t working the front desk.

Unfortunately, because of his bright, approachable personality, Taehyung is usually at the front desk. They’re a decently sized facility which means quite a few people come in and out every day and he’s good at making future boarders feel welcome.

“Hey, Youngjae,” Taehyung says with a grin as he gets into the circular desk. He likes it because he can see all the hallways that stem from the lobby, but it also makes him more self-conscious because if he has a wedgie, how does he know no one can see him if he tries to pick it?

Kyungsoo has already snuck away to do his rounds and then, most likely, go and talk with his favorite patient. Taehyung can just see his bag flying behind him as Kyungsoo rounds the corner with a quiet “Hello” to Youngjae.

“Evening,” Youngjae says with an equally bright grin as he waves goodbye to Kyungsoo’s back and turns to Taehyung. The two of them are usually always at the front desk, and they’ve become pretty good friends over the course of the few months they’ve been here.

They sit there in silence for the first ten minutes as Taehyung goes through his email and goes over the logs to see if he needs to check up on anything. Once he’s done with the regular routine, he lets out a satisfied sigh and rolls over to the other side of the desk, peeking over Youngjae’s shoulder.

“What are you doing right now?” Taehyung asks as he watches Youngjae look between the facility’s large monitor and his personal laptop.

“I’m debating on whether I should get my essay started or visit room 504,” Youngjae says as he takes another glance between his two devices.

“What’s in room 504?” Taehyung asks as he looks over the pdf on the large screen.

“Some lady is refusing to take her meds and they want me to go down to sweet talk her into doing it.”

“What’s the problem with that?” Taehyung asks as Youngjae sinks into his chair with defeat.

“She’s a very clingy woman. I had to do it last time and she wouldn’t leave me alone.” When Taehyung shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, because they have to deal with that all the time, Youngjae shakes his head and grabs Taehyung by the elbow with wide eyes.

“You don’t understand, hyung,” Youngjae says as he gulps. “She got sent here because her daughter didn’t want to deal with her hobbies anymore.”

“Hobbies?” Taehyung asks perking up. It’s always interesting when there’s another reason for being sent to the nursing home, other than being old anyway.

“You know sasaeng fans?” Youngjae asks. Taehyung nods in confusion. “She’s a hardcore fan of Wanna One.”

“The variety show group?” Taehyung asks, eyebrows knitting together, perplexed. He can’t quite wrap his head around that.

“Yeah. She voted for Samuel Kim and Kang Daniel every night and she threw a huge fit when Samuel didn’t make it in.”

The names bounce over his head, because it’s Jimin who keeps track of things like that. Taehyung is more interested in his video games and next meal. He needs to save his brain space for other things like how many different flavors of lube there are compared to how many different types of condoms there are in the convenience store across the street. Or how to illegally download his next anime (although he always tells everyone it’s porn when he gets a virus; he’s not sure anyone believes him). And school stuff. Sometimes. He doesn’t pay attention to idol groups and the members in them when he needs to remember _important_ stuff..

“I’ll go then,” Taehyung says, getting out of his chair. “What’s the big deal anyway?”

“She’s _scary_ ,” Youngjae says, but he makes no move to stop Taehyung. “She really likes me because I remind her of one of her favorite members.”

“Of Wanna One?” 

“No, some other group. I don’t remember their name,” Youngjae says as he watches Taehyung exit their circular desk. “Hopefully she doesn’t think the same for you.”

“Okay,” Taehyung says with a little laugh, but he feels warier now. “Wish me luck!”

“Good luck,” Youngjae says with an equally uneasy smile. “Just don’t sing or dance. Or pose. Or smile too much. Tone down the grandson vibe.”

“Got it,” Taehyung says, walking backward. Pose?

When he gets upstairs he walks past room 504 on accident. There’s some boy group music blasting from the room so he doesn’t know how he misses it, but he does.

When he knocks on the door, a flustered nurse opens the door. Her hair is in a disarray and there’s a half-crazed look in her eyes as she ushers him in.

“So what are we doing today?” Taehyung asks after he gives a low bow to everyone in the room. The woman he’s supposed to be visiting is sitting in a wheelchair with a petulant pout on her face. 

“I said I don’t want to take my medication,” she says with a surprisingly silky voice that doesn’t fit her wrinkled, hunched over appearance. “There’s no need for it. I’m healthy as a horse.”

“But ma’am, you have diabetes,” the nurse who opened the door for him says exasperatedly.

“Diabetes? Being sick is for the weak.” Taehyung raises an eyebrow and exchanges glances with the male nurse next to him before he realizes that he’s staring at a huge cutout of, presumably, a boy band member. 

Turning away quickly, Taehyung steps forward and gives the halmoni a smile. “Well, I must be pretty weak, because I get sick every three months.”

The old woman harrumphs and nods in agreement when she notices him. “How does a young man like you get sick so easily?” 

Taehyung gives a good-natured laugh and shrugs his shoulders. “Not everyone can be as healthy as you, halmoni.” One of the nurses holds the needle looking frazzled and ready to throttle the old woman, but Taehyung takes the medicine from her. “I think it’d be good if you stayed healthy. You may not need any medication, but isn’t better to be safe than sorry?”

The old woman is looking at him with a calculating look in her eyes as the song in the background breaks down into a rap about youth. “But I am safe.”

“Of course you are,” Taehyung says placatingly. “But would you buy a fridge without insuring it first?”

The mention of fridges makes understanding dawn the old woman’s eyes, and Taehyung has to resist the urge to laugh.

“Fine, but only because you needed me to,” the halmoni says with a condescending tone. 

“Thank you. It makes me feel better,” Taehyung says, playing on her need to feel superior.

“Next time send that other boy up,” she says when Taehyung goes to leave. “I like him better.”

“He’s busy right now, but if he’s free next time, I’ll send him down,” Taehyung says with a bow and another bright smile. The halmoni sighs like he’s giving her a headache and waves him off.

When Taehyung leaves the room, he lets out a little laugh and shakes his head. She was kind of cute, although he understood why Youngjae was afraid of her.

“What are you laughing about?” someone asks from behind him. It sounds familiar, although he’s not sure how. Taehyung turns to see Kyungsoo pushing an old, friendly man in a wheelchair.

“Oh nothing, harabeoji,” Taehyung says as he tones down his smile, but the old man laughs and shakes his head.

“Really now? It had nothing to do with Soeun next door?” The harabeoji’s voice is light and there’s a mischievous look in his eyes.

“That’s confidential,” Taehyung says teasingly and Kyungsoo shakes his head from behind the old man.

“We’re going to go to the gardens right now. Care to join us?” the old man asks.

“I have to work on some things at the front desk, but if I finish early, I might step outside for a few minutes,” Taehyung says with an apologetic frown.

“Have fun,” Kyungsoo says with a little laugh. He’s smiling as he speaks and Taehyung begins wishing he’d do that more often.

“I’ll try my best. Have a good time,” Taehyung says smiling back as he bows goodbye to them.

~

When he gets back, it’s only ten. Kyungsoo had ditched him to go to the bar, and when Taehyung tried to protest, Kyungsoo had just given him a long look that made Taehyung cower back.

The second he sets his things down, Taehyung goes about the entire room trying to find his bracelet. Another hour passes as he alternates between searching and staring at the things he finds at random corners of the house. It’s mostly dead bugs and a few candy wrappers. If he’s lucky, he’ll find a pencil or some change.

When Chanyeol finally gets back from his session with Yoongi and Namjoon and the random producer, Taehyung is laying in the middle of the living room with his eyes wide open as he stares wide-eyed at the small dots and dust accumulated in the corners.

“What are you doing?” Chanyeol asks as he looks at the coins and pencils strewn around Taehyung. He goes to pick up a plastic bag, peeking into it, only to drop it in disgust when he sees the dead bugs.

“We need to dust the apartment, hyung,” Taehyung says in a dead voice as he keeps his gaze upwards.

“Now?” Chanyeol walks to the fridge and stares at the contents. When Taehyung doesn’t answer, Chanyeol turns to see him sitting up and gathering up the things on the ground. “Where’s Kyungsoo?”

“He went out.” Taehyung and Chanyeol make eye contact and Taehyung’s blank expression drops right off his face as he gives a sheepish smile. “I tried to stop him, but he’s scary when he wants something.”

“But you could’ve-” Chanyeol pauses as he tries to think of what Taehyung could’ve done. “We need someone who he’ll listen to.”

“Not us,” Taehyung says as he throws the bag of dead bugs away, shuddering as he does.

“Who then?” Chanyeol asks as he sighs and settles for pulling out some ice cream. “What were you looking over anyway?”

They both look out at the slightly turned over living room. Taehyung had put most of the things back when he flipped the apartment over, but there are still a few things left on the ground and one side of the couch is pulled away from the wall so that it makes a triangle shape with the wall.

“My bracelet.” Taehyung frowns as he walks back over and begins putting things back into place. Chanyeol eats his ice cream as he watches.

“You couldn’t find it?”

“No, I have no idea where it is.” Taehyung throws a blanket back onto the couch and rights the small coffee table.

“I can help look if you want,” Chanyeol says, shoving one more scoop of ice cream into his mouth before putting the carton back into the freezer and throwing the spoon into the sink.

“Really?” Taehyung gives Chanyeol a grin and holds up a thumbs up. “You’re the best, hyung.”

Chanyeol grins back goofily and holds up his own thumb. “I know.”

As they take apart the living room again, Taehyung asks, “How was your session at the studio today?”

“Pretty good,” Chanyeol says as he looks behind the shared desk they have right next to the window. “The guy was chill and I think we’re meeting up with him in a few weeks.”

“Nice,” Taehyung says, nodding. “It lasted a long time today.” The clock reads 11:27.

“Yeah, we got pretty absorbed,” Chanyeol says with a happy smile on his face, and Taehyung can’t help but smile with him. “How was the nursing home?”

“I had to deal with a halmoni who didn’t want to take her medication, but she wasn’t too bad.” Taehyung picks up an unused condom and throws it at Chanyeol who yelps as he swats it away.

“Who’s is that?” Chanyeol asks as Taehyung finds another one and throws it at him again. Chanyeol catches it this time and takes a closer look at it. “This expired two years ago.”

“I wasn’t with you guys back then. Who was your roommate?”

“You don’t know him. He was Chinese.” Chanyeol grabs the condoms and walks over to where Taehyung is finding more. “Did someone just dump a whole box back here?”

“I don’t know, but there are a lot.” Taehyung pulls out another handful and notices that they’re spilling out from a vent. Because he pulled the desk back, it made all of the packets fall out. The grate is missing on this vent, and Taehyung realizes this is why he found so many dead bugs in only the living room.

“Holy crap,” Chanyeol says as he grabs another plastic bag to sweep the expired condoms into. “Who did this?”

“I don’t know,” Taehyung says as he sighs in disappointment. “What a waste.”

“What,” Chanyeol says as they continue reaching further into the vent to push them into the bag. “Were you going to use them?”

Taehyung sighs and looks at Chanyeol. “You wouldn’t?”

“Point taken,” Chanyeol says as they peer down the vent and see one more stray packet.

“You can get that one,” Taehyung says grabbing the plastic bag from Chanyeol and running over to the garbage can. It looks creepy and there are even more cobwebs in the vent.

“Hey!” Chanyeol yells, and Taehyung pretends to be engrossed in dumping the packets out very carefully.

A few seconds later, he hears Chanyeol groan and then the sound of the packet crinkling. 

“Wow, you’re great, hyung,” Taehyung says with a laugh as he shoves the rest of the bag down the trash. “Should we look in my room?”

Chanyeol grumbles and sets the desk back over the vent. “Fine, but I need to talk to the landlord about the hole in our wall. Who dumped a whole bucketful of condoms down there anyway?”

Half an hour later, Chanyeol and Taehyung are behind the couch of the living room. It’s pushed two feet away, parallel to the wall, and they’re finding more dust. And pens. There are so many pens.

“Hey, look at this-” Taehyung is about to hold up a feathery pen when suddenly the door slams open. There are moans and Taehyung looks to Chanyeol in confusion. He straightens to look over the couch and sees Kyungsoo making out with some guy as they stumble towards his bedroom.

“Um…” Taehyung goes back down and just shrugs his shoulders, unsure of what to do. Chanyeol goes up next.

“Soo…” He doesn’t come back down and Taehyung feels weirdly left out, so he comes back up to see Kyungsoo and the stranger giving up on making their way towards the bedroom and beginning to get it on in the middle of the living room.

“Do you think they know they’re in the living room?” Taehyung mock whispers. Kyungsoo freezes and pushes the man off of him, none too gently as he narrows his eyes and looks at his two roommates peeking over the back of the couch.

“Shut up,” he says in a sluggish voice as he makes his way to the couch unsteadily and leans on the arm to keep himself up.

“Hyung, I’m all for you getting that booty, but could you not do it on the living room carpet?” Taehyung gives Kyungsoo a grimace as Kyungsoo looks back with surprisingly lucid eyes. Chanyeol nods at Kyungsoo rapidly and they hear the man behind him begin to gag.

“Holy shit. You are _not_ puking in here.” Chanyeol leaps over the couch, almost tripping over his feet as he helps the man up and brings him to the bathroom. Taehyung doesn’t want to be stuck alone with Kyungsoo’s sober eyes, so he ends up ducking back down and looking down at his newly formed collection of pens.

“It took me a lot of work to get him here. Chanyeol isn’t going to do anything stupid, is he?” Kyungsoo asks still leaning on the couch.

“No, he’s just making sure your guy doesn’t ruin our carpet.” Taehyung pauses when he hears retching noises come from the bathroom. “Hyung, this is the first time I’ve seen you bring someone home. Did something happen?” The last time, he had stayed in his room and put in earbuds, because he did _not_ need to hear what was happening in the room next door.

“No, I just wanted to do something,” Kyungsoo says in a much smaller voice as he shrinks a little. Taehyung wants to comfort him all of a sudden, but he chooses to stay behind the couch as he shifts a little. He doesn’t know if Kyungsoo might be crying.

“You should do something else, safer, more fun, and more sober,” Taehyung says as he fiddles with the broken end of a pen. “We could go out and go to an amusement park or a regular park or watch a movie or go to the mall. Don’t go out alone, hyung. It’s dangerous.”

When there aren’t any sniffles coming from behind him, Taehyung turns back around and stands up. He can hear Chanyeol comforting the man as more retching comes from the bathroom.

“What are you doing back there?” Kyungsoo asks. There’s a much clearer edge to his words now. Because he isn’t moving around, Taehyung can’t quite tell that Kyungsoo is drunk anymore, save for the redness of his cheeks and how much looser Kyungsoo’s frame is.

“I lost my bracelet,” Taehyung says, reminding Kyungsoo as he holds up his wrist. “I thought I lost it in my bedroom, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Have you seen it anywhere?”

“Yes.” Taehyung’s eyes widen. “But you wouldn’t believe me.

“I’d believe it,” Taehyung says in what he hopes is a reassuring voice. He begins to make his way out from behind the couch so that he doesn’t knock Kyungsoo over.

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to say something when suddenly the whole room seems to spin underneath his feet. Kyungsoo says something to him, but Taehyung can’t hear it as everything becomes muffled and a ringing begins to sound in his ear. 

Stumbling a little, Taehyung sinks down slowly to his knees so that he doesn’t fall over. Kyungsoo is still talking, but Taehyung can’t concentrate on his voice as the ringing grows louder. Clenching his fists, he shuts his eyes tight. He can’t hear anything but ringing now and just when he feels like he’s about to faint, someone puts hand on his cheek, and the ringing disappears almost immediately.

Taehyung opens his eyes to see a handsome young man looking down at him. He’s dressed in historical robes and he has a small smile playing on the corners of his lips.

“Sorry, I can’t let you hear what your friend is saying right now.” He has a quiet voice that soothes Taehyung’s abused ears.

“What’s going on?” Taehyung says as he puts his fingers to his temple. His eyes widen when he realizes he’s in the dark endless space he usually talks to Jungkook in, but the man’s voice is nothing like Jungkook’s.

Without answering Taehyung’s question, the man holds out a hand and helps Taehyung up.

“Is your head alright?” 

“Um, yeah,” Taehyung says as he takes in the colorful swath of robes the man is wearing. It changes color as he moves and it makes Taehyung feel more disoriented than he already is.

The man studies him with a playful expression that belies his intense eyes.

“I just wanted to tell you,” his eyes flash purple and Taehyung gasps a little as he takes a small step back. “Stop looking for your bracelet. You’ll find it when it needs to be found.”

Taehyung stares at the man in confusion, but before he can ask anything, the man puts a hand to his cheek again and smiles kindly.

“I’ll see you, Taehyung.”

He blinks and nearly falls over when he’s back in the living room face to face with Kyungsoo as he studies Taehyung’s face.

“You don’t have a test tomorrow,” Kyungsoo says as he falls back against the couch, replying to something Taehyung didn’t hear. “Why would you need your bracelet tomorrow?”

“What?” They stare at each other for a second, both completely lost. When Chanyeol comes back in through the front door he gives a sad attempt at a glare as he points at Kyungsoo.

“Why’d you bring someone who was ready to puke home?”

“He was fine before he saw your face,” Kyungsoo shoots back with no bite as he rolls off the couch and lays next to Taehyung’s knees.

“Mean drunk,” Chanyeol says as he sits down next to Taehyung and Kyungsoo on the carpet.

“What time is it?” Taehyung asks as he tries to get his bearings from the headache and out of body experience from earlier. Chanyeol cranes his neck to check the digital clock above the oven.

“12:30.” The two of them sigh as Kyungsoo curls up with his head in Taehyung’s lap.

“We aren’t cleaning this up right now,” Chanyeol says as he pushes the couch back against the wall, forgetting about the pens underneath it.

“Sounds good,” Taehyung says as he pets Kyungsoo’s hair and looks up to Chanyeol. “Soo hyung has been kind of weird lately.”

“We should take him out for some safe partying,” Chanyeol says as he and Taehyung prop Kyungsoo up onto Chanyeol’s back and carry him to his bedroom. It’s weird to be the one on the opposite end when Kyungsoo’s usually the one ushering them into their beds when they stumble home drunk and lonely.

“Safe partying?” Taehyung helps Chanyeol set Kyungsoo down and they both pull off his shoes. “I don’t know if we’re the best people for safe partying.”

Chanyeol doesn’t say anything as he scratches his head, thinking about it. “Then… fun partying?”

“He didn’t even party, he went out to a bar,” Taehyung says as they leave his room and purposely avoid the messy living room.

“No, I was talking with his hook up and they met at some club.”

Taehyung’s jaw drops and Chanyeol pats his head with a knowing nod. “That’s exactly what I thought.”

“But,” Taehyung says as he waves a hand around to the general direction of Kyungsoo’s bedroom. “How?”

“I don’t know,” Chanyeol says as he and Taehyung take one more look at the messy living room. “But one way to solve this problem would be to get him a boyfriend.”

Taehyung gives Chanyeol a look of disbelief as they both make their way to their bedrooms. 

“That’s not happening anytime soon,” Taehyung says as Chanyeol yawns and shrugs his shoulders.

“I don’t know. I can’t think right now.”

“Alright, goodnight,” Taehyung says as Chanyeol returns his wave and shuts his door.

~

“You’re bracelet didn’t work, hyung,” Jungkook says as Taehyung sits next to the disembodied voice.

“What do you mean?” Taehyung asks. “I haven’t been able to wear it all day. You didn’t lose it did you?” 

He’s joking, but Jungkook takes his words to heart.

“No, I have it right here.” He must be shaking it because Taehyung hears the familiar sound of the beads hitting each other. “It’s just that… I have a bad feeling.”

“A bad feeling,” Taehyung repeats. 

“I feel as if something bad is going to happen to me.”

“Then take it off and give it back to me. I can appreciate it more than you,” Taehyung scoffs as he grabs at the air beside him.

“Can I keep it until my exam is over?” Jungkook asks. “It’s only for a week.”

Taehyung can’t exactly say no to the sincerity of his voice.

~

“You still haven’t found it?” Jimin asks as they both head out to their morning practice. It’s a Thursday and Jungkook’s week is almost up.

“I kind of found it,” Taehyung says offhandedly as he thinks back to his nightly escapades.

“Like you found a single bead or something?” Jimin pulls Taehyung out of the way of an incoming bicycle that’s swerved onto the sidewalk instead of the bike lane. “Watch where you’re going, asshole!” Jimin yells after the biker.

“Thanks,” Taehyung says, barely paying attention to what’s going on. 

“Idiot should’ve just stayed in his lane,” Jimin says as he tugs Taehyung forward. “So how’d you “kind of” find it?”

“I might know where it is, but I don’t know how to get it back.” As he speaks, a petal floats slowly past him.

Jimin narrows his eyes in confusion, but when Taehyung stays silent he jostles him. “Could you be a little more specific than that?”

“Do you believe in communicating within dreams?” Taehyung asks, trying to gauge Jimin’s reaction if he told him about Jungkook.

“Yeah,” Jimin says with a sly smile that makes Taehyung sigh, because Jimin isn’t taking his question seriously. “I dreamed that the two hyungs fell while they were having sex in our living room,” Jimin pauses for a moment to make a disgusted face before continuing. “And then Seokjin hyung actually falls and is told by the doctor to “refrain from any strenuous activity.” If that isn’t communicating, I don’t know what is.”

Taehyung stares at Jimin in disbelief as they cross the street. About two weeks ago, Seokjin tripped over the stairs and ended up with a bruised tailbone and a few bruised ribs. Jimin had been forced to do their laundry since then, but to his glee, Seokjin was forced to abstain from anything other than walking. Even sitting was a pain in the ass.

“That’s not what I meant,” Taehyung says as the two of them walk onto the campus grounds.

“What did you mean then?” They get interrupted as they walk to the practice rooms by people saying hi, so Taehyung waits until they get inside before continuing.

“I mean, do you think it’s possible to talk to someone within your dreams? Someone you don’t know?”

Jimin looks like he’s about to laugh, but before he can sink Taehyung’s morale, Hoseok walks in with a young man.

“Hey guys,” Hoseok says with an infectious grin.

“Hey hyung,” they say at the same time.

“This is Jongin. He’s going to be joining us for today.” Jongin gives a shy wave that Jimin and Taehyung return with much more enthusiastic ones. “This is kind of a tryout,” Hoseok says to all three of them.

“Okay,” Jongin says with a quiet voice. Taehyung furrows his brows when he hears it. It sounds familiar, but he can’t quite figure out where he’s heard it from.

Jimin opens his mouth to say something, but Hoseok interrupts him with a waggle of his finger.

“He’s also your hyung so watch your language,” Hoseok says with the same bright grin he had on before.

“Oh,” Jimin says as turns to bow and shake Jongin’s hand. Taehyung follows in suit.

“Hi, I’m Taehyung.”

“Nice to meet you.” Jongin’s hand feels cold, but his demeanor is soft. “Let’s do well.”

Taehyung meets his eyes and agrees, but as he takes a step back he feels a shiver run down his spine. He doesn’t get a chance to think about it too much though, because Hoseok works them hard and by the end of the practice Taehyung has all but forgotten about his unease with Jongin. The elder is a hard worker and a quick learner. He gets along well with them and Jimin warms up to him quickly.

“Tomorrow, same time?” Hoseok asks.

“Sure,” Jimin says as does Jongin.

“I might need to leave earlier. I have a shift starting from twelve tomorrow,” Taehyung says when Hoseok turns to him.

“No problem,” Hoseok says as he throws a sweaty arm around his shoulder. “If you need to, I can come in earlier.”

“That’s okay, hyung,” Taehyung says, bending down to grab his bag. “Thanks though.”

“Oh, yeah,” Jimin says leaping forward to grab his bag as well. “I forgot, we have classes to get to.”

Jongin and Hoseok stay while Jimin and Taehyung run out. 

“Have fun in your math class,” Jimin says, frowning a little.

“Yeah, have fun in creative writing,” Taehyung says, pretending to gag. Before Jimin can punch him in the arm or cause other bodily harm to him, Taehyung runs towards the northern part of the campus where the Math and Science Department is located.

He jogs for a half a minute and after checking that Jimin isn’t there to tackle him from behind, because he wouldn’t put it past him, Taehyung finally slows down. Panting, Taehyung walks the rest of the way to his class. It’s one of the last building and rooms so he has a few more minutes until he’ll be able to spot it.

He checks his phone and sees that he has another twenty minutes. Sighing a little, he sits down on a nearby bench and closes his eyes for a minute. He reaches for his wrist again, but this time he remembers the bracelet isn’t there and stops halfway.

Keeping his eyes shut, he faces towards the sky and takes a deep breath. If he fell asleep right now, would he be able to talk to Jungkook? 

As he sits there thinking, something tickles his nose and Taehyung opens his eyes he brushes at it irritably. It’s another petal.

They’ve been following him the whole week like a gaggle of fairies. Ever since he lost his bracelet, every time he goes outside cherry blossoms manage to find their way into his hair and his clothes. It’s another reason, Taehyung believes that Jungkook could be real. The one time he brought up cherry blossoms Jungkook had sighed and said that they were the only reason he was able to get up in the morning sometimes.

“I think about everything I have to look forward to and there’s nothing. It’s nice to look out my window and see something beautiful every morning. Even if they don’t last that long. I always look forward to the spring because of them.” Taehyung could picture a wistful smile on the younger’s face, just never his actual face.

He finally gets up from the bench when another four petals land on him, but he cups them all in his hands instead of brushing them off this time.

~

This time when he sleeps he doesn’t dream of the endless black space like he usually does. Instead, he wakes up in a beautifully adorned room. It’s draped in silk and it smells like pine. There’s a warm breeze coming in through an open window and Taehyung gets up to see what’s on the other side. When he reaches for the window he notices the glint of his bracelet and blinks, surprised to see it there.

Shaking off the urge to see if it’s real, Taehyung looks out the window. The moon is out and the branches outside his window sway gently. It’s a beautiful night.

Taehyung reaches up to see if he can push the curtain out farther when he realizes what he’s wearing. It’s like a bathrobe, but the material is made out of the same silk on the bed and the table covers for the wooden tables. There are intricate designs embroidered onto it and Taehyung rubs it between his fingers. It’s soft and billowy.

He looks around the room again when he finally takes note of how old-fashioned the room looks. Eyes widening, Taehyung steps forward to use a mirror when suddenly someone begins pounding on his door.

“Master,” the voice calls out urgently. “Master Jeon!”

Taehyung looks to the door in confusion and barely has any time to react when the doors are pushed open and a young man comes tumbling in, his entire body trembling in fear.

“Master, we need to leave now.” The boy gets up off the ground and scurries around the room pulling clothes over Taehyung’s bathrobed body. When Taehyung doesn’t move, opting to watch the frantic boy, the boy lets out a barely contained sob. “Master, please. Can you please dress yourself?”

The sob pulls Taehyung out of the trance he was in and he hurriedly pulls on and ties the rest of the robes around his body.

The boy checks him over quickly before shoving something long and heavy into his hands. “We need to go before they catch you.”

Taehyung can’t even ask what he’s talking about because the second they step foot outside the room there’s a sword being thrust in his direction. With agility he didn’t know he possessed, Taehyung pulls his own sword out of the heavy bundle the boy had given him moments before. The sounds of swords clashing fill the dark courtyard as more and more join in. 

Taehyung’s body is on autopilot as he fights his way towards the center of everything. He finally reaches the small artificial pond. The koi fish are swimming around the blood that stains the water. 

Jungkook only looks at his own reflection for a second before leaping back up to his feet and cutting down three more men.

“Master,” the boy calls out as he deftly cuts down a few of his own attackers to Jungkook’s surprise. “Your father said to get to the palace. You’ll be safe there.”

“Got it,” Jungkook shouts back as he sees his own men being overpowered by the sheer number of enemies that have flooded in. With a clear direction in mind, Jungkook moves faster as he slices through the crowd of people. He finally makes it out and runs for the stables. There’s a suspicious lack of activity outside of his own lodgings, and Jungkook takes note of it, watching for anything in the shadows. If only he wasn’t wearing his bright garb. 

Speeding up, Jungkook reaches the stables and tugs his horse out. But before he can mount it, he hears a shout of fear and feels a pain in his side.

“Jungkook!” Taehyung shoots up out of his bed and not a moment later, Kyungsoo stumbles into the room with a kitchen knife in hand. There are flecks of meat on it and the smell of something cooking in the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” Kyungsoo asks as he lowers the knife in confusion. Taehyung is sitting straight up in the middle of his bed and holding his side in fear. There’s sweat dripping down his back and he looks like he’s about faint. Kyungsoo sets down the knife and puts his hands on Taehyung’s shoulders.

“Tae, are you okay?” Kyungsoo’s usually stoic demeanor is gone as he studies Taehyung in concern.

“I-” Taehyung takes a deep breath as he tries to pull himself together. “I think I’m bleeding.” He shakes as he feels the stabbing pain in his side and tears slipping down his cheeks.

“Where?” Kyungsoo says in shock as he rips the blankets off the bed and checks Taehyung’s body for signs of injury.

“Right-right here.” Taehyung gestures to his side, and Kyungsoo yanks his shirt up.

“I don’t see anything,” Kyungsoo says fingers prodding Taehyung’s side.

“What?” Taehyung says, trying to get his breathing under control. “I was sta-” He stops when he sees his unblemished side.

“Tae, there’s nothing here,” Kyungsoo says gently. He pulls Taehyung’s shirt back down gets the blanket back on the bed. “Did you have a bad dream?”

“What?” Taehyung is still feeling his side and trying to process the lingering pain he feels.

“It’s eight.” Kyungsoo picks his knife back up as he goes back out towards the kitchen. “I’m cooking today and then we can leave for the nursing home.”

Taehyung watches him go in confusion as he clutches his side. A second later, Kyungsoo is back in his room with cleaner hands and no knife.

“But I can call the center and tell them you aren’t feeling well. Chanyeol is going to be home in an hour.” Kyungsoo puts a hand to Taehyung’s drenched forehead with no reaction to how warm and sticky he is. “He doesn’t have anything else today. He can stay home with you.”

Taehyung swallows drily and manages to croak out, “Thanks, mom.” 

It earns him a blank look and a gentle push of the shoulder.

“I’ll call them right now.”

Taehyung shuts his eyes when Kyungsoo leaves his room again and sets his head on the top of his knees.

What was that? He’s never had a dream as vivid as that one was. Taehyung takes another deep breath as he tries to process it. 

Was that Jungkook? He only saw his reflection for a second and it was blurred by all the blood - there was so much blood. Taehyung takes another shuddering breath as he holds onto his side again.

He sits there in silence for almost an hour before Kyungsoo opens the door to his room again.

“I’m leaving-” There’s a gasp and Taehyung’s eyes fly open as sees Kyungsoo looking around the room in wonder.

Taehyung looks around and gasps as well when he sees the copious amount of cherry blossom piled around his room. His blanket is buried under them and the little pile on the bed reaches Taehyung’s chest.

“What happened in here?” Chanyeol’s voice makes Kyungsoo and Taehyung look down the hallway.

“I don’t know,” Taehyung manages to get out as he stumbles out of the bed to survey his room. There are petals everywhere. The ground looks like a pink blanket of snow hit the ground and Kyungsoo can only blink in surprise.

“It looks nice, but it’s going to be a pain to clean up,” Chanyeol says as he leans over Kyungsoo’s shoulder to take a sniff of the room. “I like this smell.”

Kyungsoo turns to look at Chanyeol in disbelief and shakes his head when Chanyeol looks down at him with a grin.

“Taehyung’s sick. Watch over him and clean this up.” Kyungsoo is shouldering his backpack as he pulls Taehyung out of the bedroom. “Go wash up and get some breakfast if you’re feeling up to it.”

Taehyung nods as Chanyeol begins protesting from his room. “But I didn’t cause the mess!”

“Do you want to ask the sick person to clean it all up?”

“No, but aren’t you curious as to how it got into his room?” Chanyeol asks in distress. There were quite a few petals.

“We can ask him when he doesn’t look like he’s about to collapse from breathing,” Kyungsoo says in a firm voice and Chanyeol grudgingly agrees with him.

“I’ll call some people to help,” Chanyeol says as Kyungsoo walks to the front door.

“Sounds good,” Kyungsoo says as he opens the door. “Feel better, Taehyung,” he calls out.

“I’ll try,” Taehyung calls back from the bathroom.

“Remember not to share food and utensils with him,” Kyungsoo says to Chanyeol before the door finally shuts.

“Taehyung, if you need to sleep, you can just take my room, okay?” Chanyeol calls from behind the bathroom door.

“Okay, thanks, hyung,” Taehyung says, cringing at his raspy voice.

Chanyeol gives a sound of affirmation before walking away from the door. Taehyung finally turns the water on and looks down at his right side. There really is nothing there. Standing underneath the water, Taehyung shuts his eyes as he tries to go back to the surroundings in his dream. In the end, all he can picture is the blurry reflection of Jungkook’s face and the blanket of petals in his bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

It takes about two hours to clean everything up because Seokjin has a strong vacuum cleaner next door. Jimin wanders around Taehyung’s room in disbelief as Chanyeol helps Seokjin empty out the vacuum and start again. 

“You woke up and there were petals all over your room?” Jimin asks as Taehyung shakes his blanket free of the petals. 

“No,” Taehyung answers still feeling shaken from his dream. “I woke up, Kyungsoo came in, went out, came back in, and then they were there.”

“Then how did they get in here?” Jimin asks, walking around the room looking for something. Taehyung just shrugs, at a loss for words.

“What are you doing?” Seokjin asks when Jimin checks under the bed.

“Trying to find a black hole or something,” Jimin responds. “How else would all of this get in here?”

“Stop,” Seokjin says, shaking his head. When Jimin doesn’t, Seokjin grabs him by the hood. “ _Stop, Jimin._ ” His tone is much more threatening and it makes everyone turn to look at him. Seokjin lets go and nods in Taehyung’s direction. “Tae seems pretty flustered. Stop scurrying around and making it worse.”

Taehyung’s never heard Seokjin sound so dangerous and, apparently, neither has anyone else because the room grows quiet as Jimin awkwardly sits on the edge of Taehyung’s bed, trying to stay out of Seokjin’s way.

Chanyeol seems unaffected as he continues to help out Seokjin. Together, the two of them finish cleaning up the room leaving Taehyung laying in his bed and Jimin whispering to him about aliens.

“Hey,” Taehyung finally interrupts when Jimin doesn't stop theorizing. “I think I’m going to get some sleep.”

“Oh, yeah,” Jimin says when he realizes that they’ve finished cleaning. “Sorry, Tae. Feel better. Text me if you need anything.”

“I will,” Taehyung says with a small smile. “Thanks.”

When he finally leaves the room, Taehyung shuts his eyes and sighs. His plan is to fall asleep again so he can talk to Jungkook. Maybe ask what’s wrong.

Fifteen minutes pass and Taehyung realizes he isn’t going to fall asleep. Frowning, he gets up and walks to the kitchen where Chanyeol is sitting.

“Tae,” Chanyeol says, getting up in surprise. “Kyungsoo said you have a temperature. What are you doing out of bed?”

“I need some melatonin. I can’t sleep,” Taehyung answers.

“Okay, go back to bed,” Chanyeol says as he walks to the medicine cabinet. “I’ll bring it to you.”

“Thanks, hyung,” Taehyung says, trudging back to his room.

A few minutes later, Chanyeol walks in with a glass of water and one small pill.

“Let me know if you’re hungry,” Chanyeol says as he hands Taehyung the cup. “I can probably whip up some porridge or something.”

Taehyung nods, smiling and swallows the pill. 

“I will.”

Chanyeol smiles back and pats him on the shoulder. “Night.”

“Goodnight,” Taehyung says, glancing over at the clock. It isn’t even noon yet.

It takes about twenty minutes, during which Taehyung tosses and turns wondering if the pill is actually working, but he does fall asleep.

He ends up waking up a few hours later with no recollection of any dreams. Groaning in annoyance, Taehyung gets up and paces, trying to see if he can remember anything that happened. When nothing comes to mind, he storms out of his room.

“Whoa,” Chanyeol says when Taehyung comes rushing out of his room to see his two roommates sitting at the kitchen table. 

“I guess you’re feeling better,” Kyungsoo says, looking Taehyung up and down.

“You’re back?” Taehyung asks in surprise. He checks the time and gasps a little when he realizes it’s past six.

“Yes,” Kyungsoo says with a sigh. “I’m back.”

“How was work today?” Taehyung asks just as Chanyeol shakes his head in warning.

“It was fine,” Kyungsoo says, getting up. Taehyung realizes he’s going to his room and jumps back so as to not get shoved over by Kyungsoo’s backpack. “I’m going to take a nap.”

When Kyungsoo is out of earshot, Taehyung turns to Chanyeol.

“What was that?”

“The harabeoji he’s always with was at the hospital. They don’t know when - or if - he’s going to get out.”

Taehyung’s annoyance at being unable to dream and Kyungsoo’s attitude vanishes immediately.

“Oh, is he okay?”

“He keeps saying he’s fine, but…” Chanyeol raises an eyebrow.

“Ah, what should we do?” Taehyung asks, looking to Kyungsoo’s room in worry.

“Give him some space and then badger him tomorrow,” Chanyeol answers with a defeated shrug.

Nodding, Taehyung sits down next to Chanyeol and sets his head down on the table.

“What have you done the whole day?” he asks.

“I’ve been making sure you’ve been breathing,” Chanyeol says, pulling out his phone.

“Thanks.”

Chanyeol gives him and okay sign and goes back to his phone, leaving Taehyung to stare at the kitchen table.

~

It takes one week before Taehyung realizes he can no longer dream. It makes him irritable and much less forgiving than before. Chanyeol has to tiptoe around both his roommates, making the entire apartment uncomfortable to even breathe in.

Another few weeks pass before Taehyung begins to notice the petals again.

At first, they’re just small trails of petals that appear whenever Taehyung is walking around the neighborhood alone, but the more he notices them the more they appear. The overall situation doesn’t bother him too much because he’s been having weird hallucinations while he’s been recently and he’s decided that the flower petals are a hallucination too. 

Most of his hallucinations involve a boy dressed in regal robes crawling out of the small lake near their apartment, or out of his bathtub, or out of the public baths - really anywhere that holds a sizable body of water. Sometimes the stranger will be clutching a sword or staff, and just when Taehyung is about to get a look at his face, the mirage scatters into real cherry blossoms.

Yup, he’s going crazy.

But he doesn’t truly acknowledge it until it happens in the middle of dance practice. They have a showcase in two weeks and Taehyung is logging in some extra practice with Jongin when petals begin falling out of his hair. 

When he first feels the petals fluttering down he thinks that the ceiling tile is crumbling, but Jongin’s sharp inhale draws his attention to the mirror where he gets a good look at himself. Taehyung almost laughs because the fan in the back makes the petals fly around him as if he’s part of some cheesy scene in a drama. 

“Taehyung,” Jongin says in a worried voice. “Your head.”

“My head,” Taehyung confirms, looking himself up and down. “Do you know how to make this stop?”

Jongin turns off the fan before stepping closer to Taehyung and checking his hair.

“No?” Jongin answers unsurely. “I can see the petals mixed with your hair, but I can’t see where they’re coming from.”

When Taehyung doesn’t answer, Jongin stops searching in his hair and tries to get a glimpse of his face in the mirror. The younger has his head hanging down so that his face is obscured.

“Tae?” Jongin takes a step back and bends down to get a look at his face. A tear lands on his nose then a petal lands right on his forehead.

Jongin blinks in surprise and it takes another tear for him to shake off his shock and grab a water bottle along with Taehyung’s towel and hand it to him.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Jongin says as Taehyung takes the towel from him. “It’s okay. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for this.”

Taehyung sniffles and takes a large gulp of water before nodding. 

“I think we’ll stop here for today, alright?” Jongin says gently.

“Okay,” Taehyung says, trying to keep his tears under control. “Can I just have a minute?”

“Sure,” Jongin agrees. Taking a step back, he busies himself with putting his own stuff away.

A few minutes later, Taehyung has calmed down and Jongin has swept away most of the petals, save for the ones still falling out of his hair.

“Are you going to see a doctor your… condition?” Jongin asks when Taehyung gets up to ruffle his hair over a trash can.

“Um, not yet,” Taehyung says, cheeks burning as he tries not to think about the fact that Jongin just watched him cry. “It isn’t too bad.” Other than the occasional hallucination.

“Okay,” Jongin says in an unconvinced voice. “Well, I hope you feel better.”

“Thanks, hyung,” Taehyung says, straightening up when he can’t shake any more petals out of his hair.

“Go home. Get some rest,” Jongin says, handing Taehyung his bag. “I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Yessir,” Taehyung replies with a sheepish grin. Jongin smiles back and waves him off.

Taehyung returns home to see Kyungsoo staring blankly at the cold stove. The elder is tapping his fingers on his side nervously and he barely looks up when Taehyung walks in.

“Hyung?”

Kyungsoo meets his eyes and Taehyung sees an unexplainable despair in his eyes.

“We have work today, right?” Kyungsoo asks blank expression clearing into something much wearier.

“Yeah,” Taehyung says, looking Kyungsoo up and down nervously. “Are you alright, hyung?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Kyungsoo replies. He reaches over and brushes a few stray petals Taehyung missed.

“Yeah, just another prank,” Taehyung says with a fake laugh. Kyungsoo doesn’t seem to notice as he just finishes brushing the rest of the blossoms off of him and dumping them in the trash.

“Someone must really want your attention,” Kyungsoo says with a weak smile. 

Taehyung has convinced Chanyeol and Kyungsoo that someone is playing a prank on him and that’s the reason why cherry blossoms seem to follow him wherever they go. Both of them accepted the answer easily, but Jimin, on the other hand, has been grilling Taehyung about the petals. Namjoon has even witnessed them appearing out of thin air when they were walking home his the other night and Taehyung convinced him that they were holographic fairies or something. He bought it. To be fair, Namjoon was pretty tired.

“I’m going to take a nap,” Taehyung says, heading to his bedroom. “Can you wake me up when we have to leave?”

“Sure,” Kyungsoo answers as Taehyung drops his bag by the door. A few seconds later, he strips himself of his sweaty clothes and crawls into bed.

It takes a few minutes, but Taehyung falls asleep once he hears Kyungsoo turn on the stove and begin cooking. It’s such a familiar sound that Taehyung’s almost waiting for Seokjin to storm into the apartment and begin helping Kyungsoo out.

As he fades in and out of consciousness, Taehyung dreams for the first time in nearly three months.

He’s submerged in a pool of water. His first thought is that he needs to swim to the surface, but as he begins moving he realizes the water is harmless. It’s almost soothing with the slow but steady rock of the current and his breathing is unaffected. 

_Feeling okay?_

Jungkook jumps caught off guard by the voice.

“Who are you?”

_The guy who saved you. You’re very welcome by the way._

“Saved me? From what?” Jungkook asks as he attempts to locate the origin of the voice. It’s not V hyung’s and it’s hard to turn when the water inhibits his mobility.

_From that sword through your side._

Jungkook feels a flash of pain through his side and gasps silently, clinging to it with his hands.

_That looked like it hurt. Are you okay?_

Jungkook ignores his question and looks up to the shining surface in anger. 

“Who are you? Where am I?”

_I’m no one. You’re nowhere._

Jungkook feels the pain recede with the rocking of the current and begins to swim upward.

“That’s not an answer.”

_It’ll have to be for now, Jungkook-ssi._

Jungkook clenches his jaw and ignores the diminishing throb in his side.

“How do you know my name?”

_I saved you. Why wouldn’t I know your name?_

The voice is distinctly masculine and slightly nasally. Coupled with the non-answers the man is giving, Jungkook really wants to punch him in the face.

“How do I get out of here?”

 _Just keep swimming up._ There’s pause, almost a gasp, as the speaker seems to gather his thoughts. _You have to hurry though. He’s almost here._

“Who?” Jungkook doesn’t miss the tremble of fear in the mysterious man’s voice.

_An angry god._

“Aren’t you a god?” Jungkook asks as he begins swimming faster. The surface is so close, but he can’t seem to reach it. He can almost see the sun.

_Me? No way._

“Then who are you?” 

_A fellow human._ This time he does hear a gasp. _Jungkook-ssi, hurry._

Almost there. He’s almost the-

His fingers break through the surface of the water.

“Nice.” The voice is no longer disembodied and someone grabs his hand. “We’re almost do-”

Suddenly, the hand is forcefully pulled away. A second later it grabs onto him again.

When Jungkook finally breaks through the surface, he comes face to face with a beautiful man with long pink hair and dark, dark eyes. They seem to be situated on a grassy cliff.

“Ah,” the man says as his lips quirk up in a gorgeous smile. “You must be Jeon Jungkook.”

His voice is soft, much more soothing. 

He’s not the same man Jungkook was talking to before.

“Who are you?” Jungkook asks, shivering despite the friendly look on the man’s face.

“Me?” The man’s smile grows brighter. “I’m Jin.”

~

Taehyung literally tumbles off his bed as he wakes with a start. 

“It’s time to go,” Kyungsoo calls out, coming out from his room to check on Taehyung. “What are you doing?” 

Taehyung jumps up and awkwardly rubs the back of his head, ignoring the throb of pain in his knee from falling. 

“N-Nothing,” Taehyung says with a sheepish grin. “Just getting up.”

“Okay, Chanyeol packed some dinner for you.”

“Aw, really?” Taehyung pulls on his clothes and runs to the kitchen where a lunchbox sits. “Wow, you guys are the best,” he says when he smells Kyungsoo’s kimchi pasta.

With a laugh, Kyungsoo finishes gathering his things and waits for Taehyung to grab his backpack and pull on his coat. 

“Let’s go,” Taehyung says, skipping out of the apartment, excited.

~

Taehyung has been sitting at the desk for nearly fours hours. It’s a slow day so when the phone finally rings, Taehyung jumps at the chance to answer it.

“Hello. Busan’s Assisted Living Facility. How may I help you?”

“Hi,” a bright voice answers. “I’m looking for a Do Kyungsoo?”

Taehyung’s eyes widen and he looks towards the exit. Kyungsoo works hands-on with the residents so his shift is shorter than Taehyung’s. In fact, he just left a few minutes ago.

Taehyung is about to relay this to the man when Kyungsoo himself comes running back in with someone in tow. It takes Taehyung a second to process Kyungsoo’s rumpled appearance and look of desperation and another second for him to remember the guy on the phone.

“Hyung, just in time. I have a call for you.” When Kyungsoo doesn’t answer, just stares at him uncomprehendingly, Taehyung teases, “He sounds hot. You should answer it.”

Instead of acknowledging Taehyung’s caller, Kyungsoo shoves his friend towards Taehyung warning, “Watch him and don’t pull the earbuds out.”

Before Taehyung can ask, _what the fuck are you talking about_ , Kyungsoo is already speeding down his usual hallway. When Taehyung turns to Youngjae in confusion, the younger just shrugs. Remembering the caller, Taehyung curses under his breath. It’s been about half a minute, but he takes his chances hoping the caller isn’t too upset or maybe he’s hung up. It’s the latter as Taehyung cringes at the sound of the dial tone and hopes he doesn’t get reported to the manager.

A moment later, Kyungsoo comes running into the lobby and the next few minutes turn into a frenzy as Kyungsoo asks to look up a Byun Baekhyun (?) in the database and someone keeps barraging them with calls and Kyungsoo’s nearly forgotten friend is standing in the middle of everything with a slightly fearful look on his face, probably from the sudden chaos.

“Hyung,” Youngjae interrupts again giving Kyungsoo a tired look. “They keep calling and asking for you. They said that you two are friends. The name of… “ Youngjae turns back to the phone. “Could you repeat your name, please? Hm? Okay, thank you.” Youngjae practically shoves the phone in Kyungsoo’s face. “Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun.”

Kyungsoo looks thoroughly shaken, muttering a small, “What?” as he reaches for the phone. But he also seems a lot less urgent than before so Taehyung will count it as a win.

“Oh, like your Baekhyun?” Taehyung comments. “He doesn’t sound like an old guy.”

Kyungsoo holds the phone up to his ear, clearly in shock. “Do Kyungsoo speaking.”

Taehyung doesn’t hear what the guy says, but Kyungsoo drops the phone and scares the living daylights out of Taehyung with the loud crack of the phone hitting the ground.

“Oh my god,” Taehyung says, leaping up and running to the other side of the desk to grab the phone. Youngjae is literally wiggling over the counter of the desk to get a good look at what’s happening.

Luckily the phone isn’t damaged at all. Taehyung cradles it carefully and holds it up to his ear to figure out who’s talking to Kyungsoo.

“Hello?”

Oddly enough all that comes out of the other end is static. This Baekhyun seems to quite flighty.

“I think he hung up,” Taehyung reports to Kyungsoo and Youngjae.

“After all those attempts?” Youngjae asks, tutting in disappointment. 

Taehyung hands Youngjae the phone so he can put it back on its stand and turns back to Kyungsoo.

“Are you alright, hyung?”

Kyungsoo blinks as if he just remembered he’s still in the lobby.

“Um.” Kyungsoo blinks again. “Yes. I-”

He doesn’t finish his sentence as he looks away and blinks a little more carefully this time. Like he’s trying to hold in tears. Taehyung is very lost.

“I’m going home.”

“What?” Taehyung asks. After all the chaos he’s caused he’s just leaving with no explanation?

Kyungsoo seems to sense Taehyung’s disappointment and gives a wobbly smile. “I’ll talk to you when you get home.”

Taehyung nods as Kyungsoo blinks very slowly one more time before gesturing to his silent friend to leave.

“I’ll introduce you to him, too,” Kyungsoo says, pulling his friend by the arm. “Sorry for the trouble.”

He leaves Youngjae and Taehyung thoroughly confused.

~

Taehyung doesn’t get home until around eleven-thirty because one of the nurses had some trouble sticking someone’s IV drip in and Taehyung had to placate a very pissed off resident.

When he gets home, it’s dark. Chanyeol is probably still out and about, but Kyungsoo’s door is shut tightly and he can hear the faint sound of breathing. Not peaceful breaths from a sleeping body but small hiccups. So either Kyungsoo is in the middle of doing the naughty with the friend Taehyung hasn’t met yet or he’s crying. Taehyung isn’t sure which one makes him more uncomfortable.

Tiptoeing to the bathroom, Taehyung decides now is not the time to ask Kyungsoo about what happened back at the facility and opts to quickly get into bed. 

Taehyung lays in bed trying to remember the last time he’s dreamed. This afternoon he has the niggling feeling that he had seen something important during his nap, but his memory within his dream world has gotten worse and worse, especially when all there is to remember is random nonsense. But this afternoon’s dream felt… purposeful. 

Taehyung groans in annoyance, knowing he won’t be able to remember it. But really all he cares about is talking to Jungkook again. Taehyung hadn’t realized how much he had come to depend on his nighttime sessions with Jungkook and now that they’re gone he feels lonelier. Much lonelier than he would like to admit.

He isn’t sure how or when, but eventually he falls asleep.

“Taehyung,” a soft voice says.

Slowly, Taehyung opens his eyes and looks around for the source of the voice.

“How do you feel?” The voice is so soothing, like a warm summer breeze.

Taehyung freezes when he comes face to face with Seokjin.

“I don’t mean to alarm you,” Seokjin says as he gives Taehyung an inviting smile. Taehyung feels his muscles relaxing against his will at the same time a surge of fear runs through him. His smile is too artificial, calculating. Wolf-like. “I see that you were listening in on my conversation with Jungkook.”

Taehyung manages to gain slight control of his limbs as he pushes himself back a little. “How do you know about Jungkook?” Taehyung asks in a scratchy voice. His hands go up to his throat as he realizes how dry it feels.

Seokjin’s smile widens into something more feral as Taehyung feels his limbs turn back into jello. Taehyung gulps drily, finally taking in Seokjin’s appearance. Dark dangerous eyes framed by long pink hair and a haughty handsomeness that Taehyung used to think was funny. It’s terrifying right now. He’s wearing long flowing robes of gold and black, but the fabric shimmers with words colored in different shades of red.

“I’m terribly sorry to have to do this,” Seokjin says as he cups Taehyung’s cheek. Unable to move away, Taehyung can only stare back in fear. “But I’m going to have to take a few of your memories.”

Taehyung’s eyes widen and he feels his muscles clench, trying to propel him back. Unfortunately, his brain doesn’t seem to be cooperating.

“I’ll give them back to you,” Seokjin says reassuringly. He smells like roses and a stormy night. “Eventually.”

His eyes darken for a second and then begin glowing pink. Taehyung tries to look away as Seokjin’s eyes grow brighter and brighter. Taehyung feels his arms give out underneath him and lands flat on his back as Seokjin’s eyes, now a ruby red, drill into his own.

“Don’t worry. You won’t remember this,” Seokjin says with a little laugh. 

“Why,” Taehyung gasps as he feels a burn behind his eyes, “are you doing this, hyung?”

“I have to,” Seokjin says in a mock apologetic voice. Taehyung lets out a yell as his head begins to feel like it’s being split open. 

Taehyung goes limp as he tries not to black out from the pain when suddenly the face of a young man with long black hair and wide, innocent eyes materializes in his mind. 

“Hyung,” the boy says in a familiar voice and suddenly Taehyung knows what Seokjin is taking.

“Stop,” Taehyung says with a gasp, regaining strength in his limbs. Enough to move farther away from Seokjin’s warm hand. “No, you can’t take that from me.”

Seokjin’s grip becomes much firmer on his face and Taehyung feels his strength ebbing away again.

“It’ll be okay,” Jungkook says with a smile. Taehyung can only gasp in pain as he slowly loses consciousness.

“Please,” Taehyung manages to say as Jungkook’s face slowly starts to fade. “Don’t take him.”

Seokjin laughs coldly as Taehyung begins to fade out of consciousness. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Taehyung.”


End file.
